I adored Into the Churn! The story is definitely one of my favorite sci-fi romance books. Into the Churn's technological world was unique and fun to learn about, and I absolutely fell in love with Foster and Ezren.

The story is about a girl named Ezren who loves going out into the storms and exploring the surface of her home planet, Belethea. But with the impending shutdown of the lab where her mother works and the rising cost of her brother's surgery, Ezren has no choice but to join Belethea's race royale, a deadly race. Paired with the blunted Royaler Foster Sterling, Ezren learns that sometimes dreams come true no matter the odds stacked against them.

The bond between Foster and Ezren was not just a romance, it was a beautiful connection that warmed my heart. Their story was free of misunderstandings, and their communication was the key to their strong relationship. This book delivered the most heartwarming romance I've read this year!

Thanks so much, Hayley Reese Chow, Whimsical Publishing, and NetGalley, for this ARC! Such a fun read!

Thank you so much to Whimsical Publishing, Hayley Reese Chow and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was such a wild ride!

I'd been looking for more sci-fi that incorporated a romantic element for a while now, so I was super excited to come across Into the Churn.
I will immediately point out two aspects that worked less for me so I can get to the good stuff. First off, I will admit the world-building was very intense from the get-go and it took a while to get used to. While I was really impressed with how immersively and specifically the author managed to create this new world in space, it could get a bit overhwhelming at times. The second thing I'll point out is that the lingo the characters used was at times repetitive and occasionally took me out of the dialogues.

Now, to the things I did like, which is mostly everything else! I think the author made a fantastic job with the main characters, Ezren and Foster, They both felt real and genuine for their age; their relationships developed naturally and was really sweet, which was such a breath of fresh air. Ezren's backstory was interesting and I enjoyed her determination to push through the difficulties even though she's shy by nature and doesn't love being at the center of attention, with her beliefs and her family being her propelling forces. Foster is the golden retriever book boyfriend of dreams! He was such a good guy in the best possible way; I adored how his trust in Ezren never wavered, even when so much was at stake and he felt responsible for what happened with Vieve.

I wish we'd gotten a bit more of Bex and Grady, but perhaps that could be explored in a different book? Ha ha!
All in all, it was a great experience and I will absolutely recommend the book to anyone looking to add some sci-fi to their tbrs.

Oh. My. Goodness. I'm honestly 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙!

Whoever said you can't pick a book by its cover LIED! Because that's what I did with this one and it could not have gone better.
When I saw this cover on netgalley I LOVED it. Then I read the synopsis and was intrigued. Now I read the entire book and I need more. I'm in love. I'm obsessed. I'm hooked.

This book had everything! From drama, to fights, to sci-fi fiction, to found family, to friendship goals, to a beautiful romance. It made me laugh, gasp, cry... Honestly it made me go through every emotion and then some.

Foster and Ez own my entire heart. Grady and Bex are the cutest as well. Sam, Ez's mom, Sylvia, Foster's mom, the capybog... Ugh, I fell in love with these characters and now I'm supposed to just move on? Absolutely impossible. Thank heavens we'll have more of them.

Foster is my FAVORITE grumpy book bf from now on. He's the absolute best and the way he was WHIPPED from the start oh goodness gracious. He fell first and harder and absolutely no one can tell me otherwise. He deserves the world and I'm glad he got it (Ez is his world). And Ez is adorable. Her sunshiny and optimistic personality really complement Foster super well and I love how she sees life. She's the bestest older sister and the way she loves her family - and her planet - really shines through her every action. They're a match made in heave - or in this case, in Belethea. And I'm so glad they found each other as well. 🥹🩷

And the entire BRR is so good! I loved the drama, excitement and the entire action of it. The thrill it gave me was exhilarating. It had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath till the end.

Overall, this book is pure perfection and the only thing wrong with it is that it ends. Cannot wait for the next one. I already miss my babies and it's only been like the 10 minutes it's taking me to write this review...

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Whimsical Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange of my honest review. This opinion is DEFINITELY my own and if you don't believe, go read it yourself. You can 100% thank me later for changing your life for eternity.

This is a fantastic YA sci-fi adventure plus romance story (which manages not to wallow in miscommunication or slide into betrayal, thank the stars). I loved the main characters and the “Hunger Games” vibes but in space. No cliffhanger but I think there’s another book so I’m excited to continue in this universe!

There was a noticeable writing shift between chapter 1 and chapter 2 from a craft perspective, not just change in voice. I stopped reading at the end of chapter 2, 7% in. Love the cover.

Dropping 5 stars because writing and publishing are hard.

A fun and fast YA sci-fi novel, Into the Churn is a futuristic Hunger Games with a marathon twist. The BRR is a 5 day marathon where partners run, ride, and brawl to the finish in a no holds barred fight. Ezren is a terraforming intern who needs money for her baby brother and to keep the research station she works at alive. Foster is a racer with a chip on his shoulder the size of his famous racing mom who ditched him for another team and his ex partner who died in a tragic accident last year. Ezren and Foster must work together to beat the odds and everyone rooting against them in this fight to the finish. I really enjoyed this book! I think the sci fi elements (specifically the storms) are a very interesting obstacle and background that fleshes out the narrative. Foster is a fascinating hardened character who despite his dissolution with the entire racing system, doubles with Ezren to protect her. While I think a lot of the terminology that was fictional was fun, it was hard to comprehend. Several times and word was used to a few different ways that would have changed the meaning. Another point is that while they did explain a lot of the specifics of the race and certain world building aspects later in the book, it did make it a tad hard to follow in the beginning. I think with like 50 more pages and a little polishing this book would be fantastic!

Into the Churn pulled me like a Belethea tornado. Any time I had to put it down, I was swept back into the story as soon as I started reading again. I'm gonna go all out with the puns by adding that it blew me away.

I'm talking about the adorable, wholesome romance first:

🌌High Stakes Space Race Meet-Cute
🌌He Falls First and Hard
🌌Flirting in Teal Storms
🌌Only One Heating Bag (aka Body Warmth for Survival)
🌌They Protect Each Other
🌌Sterling/Hart Ship--I mean, Team Name

The way they had each other's backs!! They were the strength when the other was weak. She gave him something to believe in, and he didn't underestimate her from the beginning. It was one of the sweetest romances I've ever read.

The timeline of the story is about a year. The bonds that formed over that time were natural and didn't feel rushed. I especially loved the found family aspect that developed later on.

The world-building was one of the best parts about Into the Churn. I wanted to be on Belethea under the teal and navy skies, with the wild storms rampant. The tech was unique and fun to imagine. And the fashion! It was giving Bridgerton x Cyberpunk x Zenon vibes, and I was obsessed.

Capybogs and hummingbots. That is all.

The way Hayley Reese Chow wrote the action put me right into a seat with the crowds watching. I was cheering and rooting for Belethea's teams. I never knew who would get hurt or if they would win, so the unknown kept me on the edge of my seat.

I can't wait to read Into the Fire next!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Whimsical Publishing for providing a copy to me in exchange for my honest review.

Let’s begin by saying what a fun ride. I really loved everything about this dystopian YA fantasy romance from the races, to the competition, with the romance, what an enjoyable experience. I adored the premise of why she entered the competition and her relationships with the other racers. I also loved how she made the female racers so strong. Some of my favorite parts was seeing the girls beat the boys, this just had me smiling (AKA Bec’s). The one thing I wish was flushed out more was the beginning of Foster’s and Ezren’s relationship. I just felt that you blinked and they were together saying they loved each other. But other than that well done. I am ready to go into the Churn myself and would love a book 2 if that is possible.


I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Hayley Reese Chow for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Whimsical Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book!

Into the Churn was exactly what I wanted it to be. A Hunger Games style competition, science fiction technology, severe weather, Fourth Wing style training, a new planet to explore, and some YA romance. I was captivated from the first time Ezren stepped foot outside onto the surface of her home planet, Belethea.

Belethea is a world wreaked by impossible to track storms. Ezren wants nothing more than to be able to terraform Belethea into a new home for humanity. Foster is a Belethea Royale Racer who lost his partner in the qualifier race last year. Both Ezren and Foster need to race in this year's deadly competition for different reasons. And due to some unforeseen circumstances, they become each other's partners training for the race.

I devoured this book in only a few days. Dual POVs are my absolute favorite especially when it comes to romance between the two characters. Ezren is smart, determined, and athletic. Foster is strong, compassionate, and dependable. All the characters in this book are extremely loveable for completely different reasons.

I very much enjoyed the world building both of the planet itself as well as the other places humanity lives in in this fictional world. The way in which the author describes Belethea and its people made this a world where I would want to live, regardless of all the deadly storms and tornadoes. I can't wait to learn more about humanity's other refuges in the next book!

There was some clunky writing in the exposition and finale, as well as some disorienting time jumps throughout the book. But I enjoyed this book much more than I ever expected.

Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

thank you so much to netgalley and whimsical publishing for this arc!

this book was so fun and well-written! If you enjoy sci-fi competition type books, then you should give this one a try. added bonus, there’s a romance subplot!

this story follows Ezren, a passionate and determined terraforming intern on the planet Belethea, and Foster an ex-prodigy athlete in the Belethea Race Royale circuit. fate and flightiness brings them together to compete in the BRR tryouts as a duo. this story follows them as they train and compete, all while trying to figure out their feelings for one another. not to mention something sinister is lurking in the background.

I truly enjoyed this. though it took me a little longer to get through, I was interested from start to finish. the world building wasn’t as smooth as I typically prefer but I was able to understand the intricacies of the world not too long after starting. this had the perfect balance of adventure, self growth, and romance.

I would’ve loved to see more of the training interactions, especially between Foster and Ezren. while we get to see their wonderful dynamic at play in the actual races, we don’t get much in terms of build up.

if you enjoy YA competition-based novels with a touch of romance, pick this one up!

This was the kind of high stakes space adventure (with romance) that I needed in my life. Ezren is cute, clever and a little chaotic. She’s determined to help her home and her family survive in a dicey space world, where the land outside is dangerous and terraforming necessary to improve conditions for the people living there. I was cheering for her all the way and loved watching her bring something to the game that nobody else did. She’s a tough little cookie and a total asset to the team.

It’s not smooth sailing, with such a dangerous race to prepare for, it’s no surprise that there are problems along the way - especially with competing teams looking to sabotage each other. I was kept on my toes with this one and the romance added an extra hook to the story which I loved to see unfold. All in all a great read!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

A compelling science fiction tale featuring high-stakes races, a budding romance, and a vividly depicted cosmic setting. The story, with elements reminiscent of popular franchises, offers an exhilarating atmosphere and conveys a potent message about resilience. The romance between the main characters, Ezren and Foster, is tender and captivating. The book is an excellent introduction to the genre for young adults, without compromising on quality.

This was such a great sci-fi romance. I do not read a lot of sci-fi. But I really liked this one. The romance and banter was so good!

Into The Churn is a really great sci-fi book. I initially became interested in it for the beautiful cover artwork but I found myself pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed Hayley's writing. There wasn't a moment I wasn't hooked to this book whilst reading it, every page brings new revelations and I fell head over heels for the characters she created.

The action is exciting and I was so nervous reading this book until the end, desperate for Ezren and Foster to be safe.

I actually loved this book so much I now own a physical copy and have preordered Into the Fire. Definitely cannot recommend this book more if you are looking for something refreshing.

i'm very torn about this book. i liked the fast pacing of the romance plot-line, i loved the characters, the world-building was decent, but part of it was the slang the characters used which i personally grew a little tired of as it continuously interrupted my reading flow. i struggled not to dnf it.
i think someone else will love this book exactly as it is, and it simply wasn't for me at this point in time.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for my review.

I’m not used to reading sci-fi but I love fantasy/paranormal romance books, so going into this I was expecting to struggle, but I was extremely pleasantly surprised. The world building was drip-fed perfectly to follow the story where necessary and to grasp the technology norms, and the jargon was easy to pick up and understand.

The characters were brilliant, I loved every one of them. Ezren’s relationship with her mother and little brother was so satisfying and wholesome (rooting for Sam all the way!), and her friendship with Micah was rich and fulfilling. Foster was such a fun character to read, and I loved his dry humour and how protective he was.

The romance between Foster and Ezren progresses really smoothly, and I love all the sweet moments of awkwardness between them.

The writing was clear and enticing from the start, and the execution of the premise was thrilling. The pacing was super well done, nothing felt rushed and nothing dragged.

As an added bonus, the cover art is stunning!

If you’re unfamiliar with sci-fi like me, I think Into The Churn is a great stepping stone from fantasy/paranormal romance genres. Would definitely recommend!

<b> Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ☺️ </b>

First of all I love love lovee the cover! It’s so pretty and I totally judged this one by its cover … definitely lives up to the hype <3

This world is amazing! There’s obviously a lot of thought and care that went into crafting this world and I love it sm! Tbh, I had a hard time getting into it at first just because there was so much information about the world being thrown at me all at once but after a few chapters, I started to really get into it.

The plot was interesting and the action kept coming which was awesome. Ezren and Foster were so cute together and the chemistry was so sweet <3 I recommend this book if you’re into elaborate and expansive worlds and a cute, fluffy romance 💙

In short, this was awesome. A super fun ride like the Illuminae Files, Death Race, and the Hunger Games had a book baby. And that’s just the fun action side.

For the romance, boy falls first and hard, and his pov when he’s stressing about his feelings was so cute.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC, Into The Churn was a cute and funny reading, I really enjoyed the race the characthers are training for and how the final chapters settle the whole story.
Talking about Ezren and Foster, they were really cute together, I liked the way she's so passionate about her dreams and he puts his life back together after they meet. My only little complain is that their relationship was a bit rushed, but in the end they really seem to complete each other and they are a great example of a healthy relationship.
My favourite parts were about the race, it was an original concept and well executed, especially for the setting.

Into the Churn was a fun and fast paced read with a sweet romance added into it. I found both Ezren and Foster to be likable characters who were easy to root for. I enjoyed the deadly race aspect of the book and the preparation leading up to the races were written well too. I’m a sucker for a good underdog story and this delivered with the ragtag team we follow in this book. I had a good time reading this, but I never fully connected to the characters so I’m not sure how memorable this will be for me in the future. I’d recommend trying it out though, cause there’s still a lot to love overall.